How is a nation built?

We all want to see our nation stand tall and proud. But how is it going to happen?

Building a nation is not by the 'providing' of 'infrastructure' by the government for people to trade and improve technology. Building a nation is not by 'encouraging' arts and culture to 'flourish' using government funds. Building a nation is certainly not by members of the ruling party in Government 'learning new technologies' by going on foriegn trips. All these are products of the peculiar brand of socialism that we have followed in our country since Independence.

Let's not blame Nehru wholly for this state, a great wave of acceptance sweeped across the country when Nehru announced his 'Five Year Plans' and other 'incentives' for industry, agriculture and trade. People were ready for 'progress', they didn't care in which form it came, they didn't care from whose pockets the money flowed.

It is that altruist morality that has landed us here today. What does a 'man of business' do in this country today? By this, we broadly refer to anyone who has something creative to offer. Such men of business today are too busy to see all this, they are busy waiting to jump off their office balcony, twist their necks, crawl on their bellies and lick boots to get 'documents passed' or 'projects cleared'. They are willing to 'pay' bribes, run errands, wait years 'for the next government to come' to get things going. Our businessmen are willing to work under any system as long as they are 'free' to 'make a little profit'.

They are willing to listen to environmentalists, charlatans, soothsayers, yoga therapists, hi-tech 'consultancy' agencies about matters of business policy. They are ready to shake hands with the worst of their enemies to gain 'political pull'. They are willing to 'sponsor' civic amenities like road blocks, dividers, traffic signals, pavements and are willing to forego the costs, satisfied with their logo being brandished on these 'civic amenities'.

They want to please all, they dare not displease anyone. They have been reduced to this state because socialism has been our policy and altruism is still our morality.

Yet, it is these businessmen who are the ones to build our nation. It is these businessmen, who translate ideas into money, who can build the nation. Only when the businessman builds his life will the nation live. Every man should live by trade and trade alone, only then does our nation have a chance.

As long as businessmen are running around breaking their heads, and convincing 'heads of state' that their projects will do more good to the people who buy their products and the people who work in their factory than it will to them, our nation will die.